The Royal Government of Cambodia has allowed Cambodians to get the third shot or booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine, aiming to further build the herd immunity in the country.

In a statement signed on Wednesday by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the booster shot will be offered for people aged from 12 years old.

“In order to rapidly build a ‘real herd immunity’ which is a key foundation to protect the people’s lives from COVID-19, particularly the Delta variant or other variants, as well as to get prepared for the plan to reopen all sectors and to live with COVID-19 in a new normal norm, the Royal Government decides to launch the COVID-19 booster shot policy to the general public aged 12 years old and above,” read the statement.

The booster plan is set from August 2021 till mid-2022 and is conducted on a voluntary and free-of-charge basis, it underlined.

The statement also called on those who can afford it to get their booster doses at authorised private hospitals, and the private sector (factories and enterprises and business owners) to consider providing their staff with the booster shots.

This will contribute to easing the financial burden of the Royal Government and to accelerating the vaccination campaign.

As of Aug. 24, for the target of 10 million adults, 8,800,975 people have obtained their first jab, or 88.01 percent, among them 7,942,133 have been fully vaccinated.

For the children-youth aged 12 to under 18 years old, whose vaccination campaign began early this month, 1,160,655 or 59.01 percent of the two-million target have received their first dose while 110,110 obtained full doses.

The vaccination of the two groups against COVID-19 is expected to complete in late October or early November this year.